Traditional and Online Master of Public Health Curriculum

SPPH 5304: Introduction to Social and Behavioral Sciences

This core course focuses on the behavioral sciences and their influence on public health.  As a core course, this is an overview. We will briefly cover many aspects of the behavioral sciences, including individual, community, organizational, and social impacts on health. We will focus on the ecological model of health and discuss social determinants of health. 

SPPH 5311: Introduction to Biostatistics

This course will introduce students to basic biostatistics as used in public health practice.  Students will learn to describe, measure, and analyze public health problems.  Prerequisite: Leveling exam required for all students registered for course.

SPPH 5313: Introduction to Public Health 

This introductory course will explore the history of public health, the successes and challenges faced by public health practitioners over the years, and the current trends in public health in the United States. Students will learn the core competencies of public health and the essential functions of public health, and how public health is practiced in the United States.

SPPH 5316: Responsible Conduct of Research and Communication in Public Health

This three-credit hour course applies an active, participatory approach to help public health and health care professionals learn about the regulatory environment as well as the normative ethics of conducting public health research as well as how to better communicate more effectively in written and spoken communications. 

SPPH 5307 Introduction to Epidemiology

This core course will introduce students to basic Epidemiology as used in public health practice. Students will learn to describe, measure, and analyze public health problems. They will practice outbreak investigations and learn about epidemiologic research designs.

SPPH 5309: Basic Environmental Health Sciences

This course is an overview of the major areas of environmental health and provides students with an understanding of hazards in the environment, the effects of environmental contaminants on health, and various approaches to address major environmental health problems. Areas of emphasis are environmental epidemiology, toxicology, agents of environmental disease and policy and regulation.

SPPH 5310: Public Health Policy

The course presents competencies surrounding public health policy formulation. The main focus will be on the policy issues in the U.S. health care system, but some global health will be explored. The course will include application of principles of policy formulation, development, budgeting, implementation, evaluation and analysis. An historical overview of seminal health policy events in U.S. history is also explored through competing stakeholder dynamics.

SPPH 5334: Community Based Methods and Practice

In this course we will explore community based research methods in Public Health, including Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR). We will discuss the history and principles of community based research, the ethics of this type of research, and methods to involve communities in our research. This is a practice intensive course.

SPPH 5319: Applied Practice Experience

The purpose of this course is to allow students to apply the knowledge and skills they are learning to public health problems within a mentored learning experience. Guided by the instructor, students will identify career goals and work interests that can be met within an appropriate public health agency or related entity.  The student will develop a plan, milestones, timeline and metrics that will be used to evaluate their practical experience. Prerequisites: SPPH 5304, 5307, 5309, 5310, and 5311.

SPPH 5315: Organizational Leadership and Management

The course will provide the student with an in-depth understanding of the management of public health organizations. The student will understand various leadership methods, decision making strategies, strategic planning and how to create an organizational vision. Prerequisites are: SPPH 5313, SPPH 5304, SPPH 5307, SPPH 5309 and SPPH 5310.

SPPH 5329: Issues in Rural Health 

This Three-credit hour course focuses on rural health issues and their influence on public health. This course will delve deeper into these challenges, addressing the specific physical and cultural characteristics of rural areas that make them so different from their urban counterparts. Additionally, this course will address epidemiological methods to assess rural health issues such as ethical principles and environmental hazards. Students will be challenged to interpret results of data, assess population needs specific to rural communities, propose strategies to build coalitions using and partnerships. During the course of study, students will apply systems thinking tools to research public health issues, solving skills to identify interventions and present findings both in writing and using oral presentations. They will also look a public health program planning from a community-focused lens and focus on overcoming specific barriers that are driving disparities in rural areas. Prerequisites: SPPH 5304,SPPH 5307,SPPH 5411 

SPPH 5399: Integrated Learning Experience 

The Integrated Learning Experience requires the student to synthesize and integrate knowledge acquired in coursework and other learning experiences and to apply theory and principles in a situation that approximates some aspect of professional practice. The student will choose between four alternative integrated learning experiences. The first option is a research thesis. The second option is a public health project. The third option is a comprehensive exam. The fourth option is a capstone course. Prerequisites: SPPH 5304, SPPH 5307, SPPH 5309, SPPH 5310, and SPPH 5311.

SEE ELECTIVES: SPPH 22-23 STUDENT CATALOG